Eternal Darkness (The Cimmerian Cycle #1)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

He had a bit of a swagger about him as he walked off to find a table and Kiayani couldn’t help but smile. They chose a table close to the door. That way when the others walked in they would be able to find them easily. Koran dropped their number onto the table sliding to the end of the bench seat. Kiayani joined him. A few minutes later the girl from the bar had brought their drinks. She placed the jugs at their end of the table and left to get some glasses.

Koran leant back against the back of the seat, “feels strange not having to do anything to get food other than ask and hand over some gold.”

It felt a lot more normal though for Kiayani, she just had to say that she was hungry back at home and platters would be placed in front of her in seconds. Travelling through the forest had been a radical change for her. She hadn’t realised what it meant to be truly hungry.

The bar maid came back within a minute, “You food will be here shortly.”

“Thank you,” said Kiayani smiling.

The girl raised a delicate eyebrow and swept some of her long blonde hair out of her face. She turned away after giving Koran a dazzling smile and muttered something incomprehensible. Koran poured a glass of water for himself and downed it in one long gulp. Kiayani reached out for the juice just as the door swung open. Laughing amongst themselves walked in the other boys, Mik, Leo, Rute and Yulan. Mik and Leo had their arms full with a variety of goods. Mik’s eyes swept the room, looking for Kiayani and Koran. He muttered something and the others looked over and began to move towards them. Leo dumped his goods on the end of the table and then sat down next to Kiayani.

“Chuck me a glass why don’t you?” he asked.

She pulled the stack towards the middle of the table and gave one to Leo. She then placed the jugs where everyone could reach.

“What did you get?” Kiayani asked Leo looking at the strangely shaped parcels.

Her eyes raked the large pile of assorted items.

“Mostly dried food and some other stuff,” he then looked at Koran, “we had to go to a few shops because they weren’t keen on selling us food. Us being outsiders and all.”

Leo took a sip from his glass thoughtfully.

“Seems like they have less and less food being shipped from the capital. If there was a better time to act it is now which is just perfect for us,” said Mik pouring himself some juice, “I can only hope that we are not too late.”

“I find it hard to believe no one had thought of this before,” said Kiayani placing her hands around the cool glass in front of her, “It’s not like those children’s tales are uncommon.”

“I doubt anyone would have had the nerve to,” Koran said seriously, “Speaking of which did you two find anything?”

He looked down at the twins who were sitting at the end of the table by the shopping.

“The priest wouldn’t tell us anything,” said Rute gazing down at his glass.

Yulan then said, “It was like he thought we were messing with powers above our own and that we were doing the wrong thing. Either way he wasn’t telling us everything he knew.”

“Fat load of help that is,” said Leo, “stupid old man.”

Kiayani suddenly felt the need to go to the bathroom. She stood up.

“Excuse me,” she said but the others didn’t take much notice.

She slipped off the end of the bench seat and made her way to the back of the inn where she guessed the bathroom must be. When she came back out she heard voices talking in whispers and very much like they didn’t want to be over heard. Instinctively she flattened herself against the wall.